From the Web (FTW) #1: Rahul Gandhi and Kamal Haasan in conversation

Posted on January 3, 2023

Starting a new series of stuff from the web that I think will generate some interesting comments…

Posted in: From the Web, Politics, Society

62 Responses “From the Web (FTW) #1: Rahul Gandhi and Kamal Haasan in conversation” →

Jeeva Pitchaimani

January 3, 2023

Some people just like to see the world burn!

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Heisenberg

January 3, 2023

I am glad Kamal Haasan is finally burnishing his credentials as ‘Anti-Indian’ 😀

LikeLiked by 1 person
Heisenberg

January 3, 2023

For a man who made Hey Ram, his statements about BJP were always wishy washy during his short active political career. He famously quizzed Narasimma Rao during Babri masjid demolition and failure of government to prevent that. It’s heartening to see Kamal Haasan taking a stand.

Also I am very surprised Amitabh Bachchan’s strongly worded comments in KIFF did not create any flutter in the media.

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Sriram

January 3, 2023

Kamal seems to be gunning for a Rajya Sabha or Lok Sabha seats in alliance with Congress in TN. Pretty smart move since he would have realized that he stands no chance with MNM in TN politics.

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sanjay2706

January 3, 2023

Conversation is too surface-level!
Kamal’s “Gandhism” makes no sense if he is serious about governance and policy. Everything is a nail to him and he will use hammer called “Art” to it. He will talk about his movies till the cows come home.
While Gandhi can be relevant to our personal lives, ( For ex, the Lage Raho lesson of telling truth to a father and save money to repay) it makes no sense to talk about modern national security & economy from Gandhi’s lens. It is laughable at best and dangerous at worst.
Furthermore, his complex relations to Dr Ambedkar doesn’t make it easy.
Kamal would continue to be the politician for the elites. I would not be afraid of him if I was his competitor.

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Pk rao

January 3, 2023

BJY (Bharat Jodo Yatra) is a nice idea by RG to remain in news cycle for several months. The conversations with some people whom are seen as intellectual in some sections of the society makes him look intelligent.

Ultimately it may still not connect with most of India which votes. RG as opposition face will not win Hindi Heartland. Without Hindi Heartland it is tough to win India.

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Raghu Narayanan

January 3, 2023

First up, thanks BR for this new series !! Is it a new year resolution you are fulfilling? 😄

The multi-faceted legendary Late.Cho Ramasamy once said about Kamal that ‘he is a genius among actors and an actor among geniuses!’. I think this statement defines Kamal to a ‘T’. Kamal is also a survivor and he will look for ways to further monetize his ‘art’ via politics. He is not even seen as a vote splitter now. And the timing of his slide towards Congress is obvious as well. If Congress does not help his cause in 2024 he will not think twice to ditch it. And if someday BJP wins in TN, he will not hesitate to side with them too. I just wish he had stopped with being the greatest actor Bharat has produced, IMHO of course.

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Heisenberg

January 3, 2023

//Conversation is too surface-level!
Kamal’s “Gandhism” makes no sense if he is serious about governance and policy.//

I dont think this was attempted as masterclass on Gandhism. Purpose of this yatra has been spelled out as to unite country against hate propaganda and bring back secularist ideals. That is ofcourse what Gandhi, Nehru, et al envisioned for India.

I doubt if kamal haasan still considers his political career seriously.

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Heisenberg

January 3, 2023

//Ultimately it may still not connect with most of India which votes. RG as opposition face will not win Hindi Heartland. Without Hindi Heartland it is tough to win India.//

His image has been totally damaged that these days kejri is considered national alternative (at least in media if not by public). I see this as a good beginning point to counter hate spewed by BJP ministers and the parivars. I am still hopeful this communal virus has not infected large sections of people. More and more silent spectators have to start voicing out and make bjp change its tunes

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hari

January 3, 2023

Kamal should have included his boss Uday anna as well in this intelligent discussion.

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Rocky

January 3, 2023

Both geniuses aren't getting irony of it pic.twitter.com/WqzTtdxCNa

— iMac_too (@iMac_too) January 2, 2023

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abishekspeare

January 4, 2023

BR could have titled this “chumma koluthi podlaam nu” 😂

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Raghu Narayanan

January 4, 2023

When year 2017 started, there was this photo circulating on Whatsapp of RaGa and Kejriwal standing side by side. On top of the picture was written 2017. At the bottom was written ‘Do Shunya Ek Saath’. 😄😄

Kejri seems to have moved on since but Raga still likes ‘shunya’staan very much. Now he seems to have been joined by another ‘shunya’.

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Madan

January 4, 2023

Look at the views on this. 1.5k after a whole day since it was uploaded. BR interviewing a second rung Tamil film personality would comfortable get 10x that many views. Maybe 300k views for so for Rahul’s Red Fort address (which, by the way, was one of the few well drafted speeches he has given and absolutely on the money) which sounds impressive until you consider that Ravish Kumar easily bests that with even a good morning wishes upload. It’s just too late. I will say that if people actually judged Modi as harshly for his words as they do Rahul, he would not be PM. But that’s how it works. The people have judged Rahul unfit for power and the sooner he gets the message, the better. And he is to blame for this because he never showed maturity in UPA2 and tag teamed with his mother to mercilessly throw MMS under the bus for the sin of delivering the best ever economic growth in the history of independent India. If such an ungrateful wretch has to hang dry in the political wilderness, so be it and except a few Congress chamchas, nobody is shedding tears for him nor should they.

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Macaulay Perapulla

January 4, 2023

Hope this movie resurrects the terrific form Rajkumar Santoshi was in, when he made Khakhee, many moons ago.

This movie could very well be the dialogue Kamal should have ideally had with RaGa. This video above made me sad. It was evident that Kamal was playing his role to comfort the person sitting opposite him. His recent oped in Hindu at least made some sense from his centrist standpoint. In this, he was just nodding along and not clearly articulating his stance. Hope he sticks to movies.

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Sriram

January 4, 2023

@Madan, fully agree. People have rejected Rahul Gandhi as unfit for power and Gandhis in general have lost credibility among large number of voters. The best that Gandhis can do is to step away, let the natural power struggles take place in Congress, allow a leader to emerge and let him/her devise strategies to win power. But Gandhis won’t do this, any third front is dead on arrival and Modi will become PM again in 2024.

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RK

January 4, 2023

To me, Rahul comes across as a well-meaning dilettante without either the aptitude or ambition required for politics. BJY is the only instance I can think of where he has consistently worked/ engaged with the public other than state/ central elections.

One thing nobody credits Rahul is that he is only politician that I know of who has openly criticised Ambanis other than communists. But what is the use of that if you cannot engage the public politically on any issue.

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Kay

January 4, 2023

Two takeaways from this conversation
1) Bellary has a thriving jeans manufacturing industry. Took me by surprise since I consider myself an expert on textile industry in South India.
2) RG knows jujitsu. 😊

Agree with one of the comments above. Wish Kamal had stopped with being one of the best artists in India.

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future avatar

January 4, 2023

Looks like some or most netizens want a flawless opposition leader who did not commit mistakes and who can magically draw the already committed public and their votes in his favor. Wish one netizen will get up from his chair and get into the muddy waters and show some results. Why the great bollywood superstars are so silent? Are they busy in projecting themselves as boxoffice kings?
Meanwhile we should be grateful for the stability we are enjoying now. Why to invite chaos and instability?

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Madan

January 4, 2023

Mr Rahul Gandhi, is it you? Seriously though, if you and other fans of his are so upset about criticism of his by a few netizens, how do you expect to win the General in 2024? Yes, at least I would agree that Modi should go and I am not voting even in the name of TINA to him. But just as you accuse netizens of waiting for a flawless opposition leader, opposition cannot also assume that just because Modi goofed up, he is going to lose. What does the opposition have to offer that will be better than a Modi govt? They need to make the argument and persuade and convince people too. Why is it that Kejriwal being relatively new to the game is more confident about offering a competing model of governance than the ‘veterans’ who ought to have woken up and smelt the coffee by now?

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Heisenberg

January 4, 2023

@Madan – Regarding the no of views, this is from the original handle with close to million views

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Madan

January 4, 2023

Heisenberg: Thanks, that is at least in sync with the amount of attention such an interview should garner. It doesn’t change my overall point, though. Ravish’s video on demo got 1.2 million views. If what Rahul has to say doesn’t even interest more people than the channel of the most popular Hindi journalist in the country, then he is still speaking to too niche an audience to move the needle in an election.

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Heisenberg

January 4, 2023

I still dont think he has what it takes to fight BJP’s full might. But BJY is an important starting point to counter the hate machinery. There has been good support from civil society and non political groups. This kind of initiatives need to be amplified so it can reach sane people.

Apart from hardcore hindu nationalists, theres still a large base of brainwashed people who think Modi is best thing to happen and he doesnt embody hate politics. This has to be countered effectively.

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Rocky

January 4, 2023

Ironically, BJY has garnered support from the Bharat terey tukde tukde hongey gang.
Yogender Yadav, Kanhaiyya, Daulat, medha Patekar , Swara Bhaskar .
RG fled Amethi and went to a “safe” seat in Waynad and KH lost to Ms. Vanathi.
These people will bring a change ? Naaaaa

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kaizokukeshav

January 4, 2023

The actual battle for RaGa will start when he start eating the lunch of regional parties…. there are already a bunch of parties aiming for Pan-India ambitions so it’s an entirely different ball game in 2024, even for BJP.

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Rocky

January 4, 2023

OT- This 15 minutes interview is a masterclass in demolishing the western hypocrisy by the EAM.

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KS

January 5, 2023

@Heisenberg: “BJY is an important starting point…”

How many more starts does this daddhi need? He has been starting and starting for decades now. With nothing to show for it, despite the usual support from “civil society” and other jalras playing up every inanity of his like he’s the destined saviour. It used to be funny, but its just sad and pathetic now. Even mocking him feels lazy and offensive, like making fun of a disabled person. It feels like the people who egg him on and prop him up are the real evil here. Surely they can’t seriously believe he’s worthy of such a long rope, so I’m curious whats the game here and what their real motivations are.

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Raghu Narayanan

January 5, 2023

“so I’m curious whats the game here and what their real motivations are”

One aspect of the game/motivation could be money. The money from the kickbacks, frauds, large-scale corruption, selling out secrets, etc., Everyone who is a ‘person of interest’ now, aka, long tern Congressis, would have had their finger in the pie for sure and the generally acceptable common name to front-end and to keep the lid on the dirty secrets could be a ‘Gandhi’. If not for one, the rest would bitch among themselves, turn the situation chaotic and would soon make everyone vulnerable. Keeping RaGa at the front could be much, much less about politics and more about protecting ill-gotten wealth….

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Heisenberg

January 5, 2023

@KS – To make it clear, I didn’t say BJY as starting point for RG but as initiative to counter everyday hate propaganda by BJP ministers, mps, mlas.

If you say there’s no need for a call for unity in today’s India, then okay let’s disagree.

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Madan

January 5, 2023

I am not sure even in that sense BJY is a starting point. The anti CAA protests were quite sustained and some celebs etc lent their hand to it. The BJY being led by Congress has got more attention in a manner of sorts (much more on social media, because the TV channels gave it scant coverage). But I don’t really see this becoming a lightning rod around which a revival of secularism can get galvanized.

Also, “If you say there’s no need for a call for unity in today’s India” – unfortunately, the vast majority of Hindus now support Modi pretty much unconditionally at the level of Trump’s infamous ‘I could shoot someone at Fifth Avenue’ jibe. So to them, the BJY is just a pesky attempt at stirring up a controversy because all and any actions against Muslims, however unlawful, are completely justified and any disunity is therefore to be blamed on them and their supporters.

The larger point that there is now a bumper sale of public assets and innumerable other changes to the rules of the game to help the Adani-Ambani duopoly (for which, as Rahul said, screaming Hindu-Muslim everyday is an effective smokescreen) is now ignored. It’s as if the anti-corruption protests at Jantar Mantar never happened, as if UPA was never corrupt, as if corruption was never an issue.

Meanwhile the FM does karadiya-katharanga to private sector to come up with the investments and they give the same vague reassurances while the fisc def keeps climbing and climbing. It’s not exactly a recipe for disaster but the scenario is nowhere as hunky dory as the media’s rosy picture makes it out to be. I mean, I would be completely on board at least short term with favouring Adani-Ambani if it was delivering the growth and employment we need.

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KS

January 5, 2023

@Heisenberg:
Are you part of BJY’s PR campaign? Why do you talk like a salesman reading a brochure? Whom are you fooling with this “call for unity” fluff? Irrespective of our stances on the “need for a call of unity” (#cringe #lol),
everyone knows its the 17836th attempt at launching Rahul Gandhi as a “youth leader”, using some filmy pretexts and cliched slogans about unity in diversity, etc. from middle school civics textbooks.

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Heisenberg

January 5, 2023

@KS Unfortunately this basic middle school civic lesson of ‘Unity in Diversity’ is required for educated(?) fools aka andhbhakts who fail to critically evaluate their government on its performance and live in imagined victimhood.

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Rocky

January 5, 2023

One thing I failed to understand why did the lesson of BJ – unity in diversity go predominantly in Kangress ruled or Kangress friendly states.. achcha , those states needed the lesson the most !! LOL

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Rocky

January 5, 2023

The mascot of the BJY said one day – I have travelled thousands of miles and I did not find any hate anywhere even for dogs and cats and pigs.
The same man the next day- The main purpose of BJY is fighting hate.
I am sorry what ? LMAO!!

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Madan

January 5, 2023

Rocky, his point was crystal clear but if you want to play dodge ball, suit yourself. He mentioned specifically that the news channels spread hate 24/7 even though people don’thate each other on the ground. And unless you have a subscription in the US to our channels, you can’t refute that out of hand. I have long since stopped watching news channels because at any given time of day, they have a news anchor breathing fire like a dragon. And yet, every BJP supporter boomer uncle I know religiously watches Republic or Times Now so this strategy clearly works.

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Rocky

January 5, 2023

Madan, so is the BJY is against the hate channels ? since as per him there is no hate on the ground .
I don’t watch any news channels either. My main source are a few YouTube channels and twitter.
P.S.- my daughters’ main source of news is Tiktok !!
P.S.1 – the entire thread is full of so many generalizations , it boggles my mind.
Hindu nationalists, andhbhakts, boomer, ambani- adani . Meanwhile all Kangress state goverments are giving contracts to Guess what – ambani- adnai.
Saala uss kee khud kee party kee state govts don’t listen to him since they know he is a certified liar .

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Rocky

January 5, 2023

Case in point -( of his being a liar )

This person lies through his teeth to instigate masses and inflame passions.
He knows the facts about Defence Forces new recruitment policy.
He knows he is lying (as usual).
He knows that he is instigating.
He is no fool.
He is a Mephistophelean liar.
He is viciously divisive. pic.twitter.com/PmCDvVw0uH

— Kanchan Gupta 🇮🇳 (@KanchanGupta) January 5, 2023

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KS

January 5, 2023

@Heisenberg:
Wow, Rahul Gandhi is really changing hearts and minds by telling us that we must all be united, true love is more important than money, we must all be good human beings, make peace not war, inner beauty is more important…I can see all the andhbhakts dropping their trishuls, their eyes swelling up with tears, and slow clapping, and holding hands with Muslims to sing the azaan. I mean, its not like peoples opinions have been cemented through decades of experience, exposure and priorities. Or the messy history of religious conflict in India and the consequent unaddressed imbalances and festering wounds, or even the antics of the Congress over the last half-century. No, they were all clearly brainwashed by one whatsapp message, and all it takes is the messiah Rahul Gandhi to say “love, don’t hate” to thirandhufy their arivu-kannu.

But seriously, its like going on candlelight marches for “world peace”. Vague feel-good bs with no clear aims and serving no purpose beyond repeating tired cliches (also, its pretty rich to get lessons on humanity from a dud in a party like the Congress). At least campaigns like IndiaAgainstCorruption, whatever be their real motives, had a more specific issue to address, clearer clearer villains and clearer goals.

That is, assuming it was ever supposed to have any purpose beyond propping up Rahul Gandhi as a leader yet again. Please stop dressing up a PR campaign for a failed leader as some social movement for humanity. It is embarrassing, and also insulting to the intelligence of people.

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Rocky

January 5, 2023

OT- I watched an hour long youtube video by Rajat Sharma detailing his behind the scenes incidents of his Aap kee Adalat episodes.
he narrated one with Jayalalitha . She met him and spike with him in chaste Hindi but told him that in the recording she will speak only in English. Also Rajnikant happened to be shooting in the same studio where the recording was supposed to done the next day , he came and suggested the camera , lighting and furniture placements to Sharma jee.
This was at the time when Rajni saar and Jayalalith were having a massive tiff over some traffic issue , where he sat on the bonnet of his car and smoked a cigarette?

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Heisenberg

January 6, 2023

KS – Brilliant. Your one post has made me open my eyes and see the reality. BJP supporters are well read historians and have a knack for critical analysis in “entire political science”. Jobs or economic progress is not the priority until we have a revenge on Aurangazeb who has been dead for 300 years.

Also I realize how congress has always been tukde tukde gang, but BJP’s ideology has always been inclusive. Be it Babri masjid or love jihad or gyanvapi today they always make sure muslims are part of their inclusive ideology.

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Madan

January 6, 2023

Rocky: I notice how you assiduously tracked down A lie uttered by Rahul Gandhi to comment on it but have never commented on the myriad lies of 56 inch. Not once. That’s all there is to say about this matter. You can desperately seek to score brownie points over those who don’t agree with your ideology but you are only fooling yourself when you convince yourself that one man has some divine right to lie over, over and over again.

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kaizokukeshav

January 6, 2023

” andhbhakts who fail to critically evaluate their government on its performance and live in imagined victimhood ”

Well for two terms, BJP successfully sold the idea to Hindus that if you are able to live in the country, that itself is the success of the Government. And the majority bought it and that says something about Khangressis

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hari

January 6, 2023

‘Unity in Diversity’ and Congress ha ha – joke of the century. In Kanyakumari Rahul G meets George Ponniah, who is a rabble rouser – who spews venom against Hindu gods and goddesses, tells Rahul that there is no god other than Jesus. This is at the start of the BJY, and you guys call this Unity in diversity? Don’t say Rahul has no control over what people who he meets says. Also grapevine is that Rahul might contest from KK, as there is growing opposition for him in Wayanad. Let’s see how it goes.

The problem with opposition is they belittle the supporters of BJP calling them brainwashed, andhbakths, communal etc etc. Mudhalla treat them with respect then you will understand why you are failing. BJP TN is ironically doing the same thing in TN, they are belittling DMK supporters as ubis, dumeels, dravidiya etc.

As Kanchan Gupta says RaGa is sinister, he is more divisive, he reminds me of Mandarin, he is no buffoon, he is very dangerous. Otherwise how can someone keep coming back, even after trying 17836 times, larger force is behind him. We have to keep him at bay.

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Madan

January 6, 2023

Oh, how nice now, BJP supporters want to be treated with respect? After dubbing anyone who criticized the govt as anti national? Do you think we haven’t noticed? It’s been nearly nine years man. Even if you think we are all slow like Pappu, we aren’t THAT slow. Oh, what is it you say? That your criticism is factual but only ours is an insult? A big whatever in that case.

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Madan

January 6, 2023

And by the way, it’s not enough if you say YOU never called critics anti national. I have never seen a single BJP supporter intervene and at least get the loonies in their faction to back off. Never. Instead you have only abetted it, either silently or actively. Too late now to ask for civility. All we asked for was moderation, not even agreement but the lot of you were gloating way too much to care.

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hari

January 6, 2023

Madan babu i’m no supporter, and I’m not expecting you to treat me with respect – enga padicha adha – win pannanum na respect pannu – illena poi kitte iru – enakkenna

If BJP doesn’t treat its opponents with respect it is going to loose, like how it is going to in TN.

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hari

January 6, 2023

Madan babu i’m no supporter, and I’m not expecting you to treat me with respect – enga padicha adha – win pannanum na respect pannu – illena poi kitte iru – enakkenna

If BJP doesn’t treat its opponents with respect it is going to loose, like how it is going to in TN.

“. I have never seen a single BJP supporter intervene and at least get the loonies in their faction to back off.” – nee poi ellam supporterayum interview panniniya – semma paa nee.

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Madan

January 6, 2023

hari: Sorry, I misunderstood you. I haven’t seen opposition leaders call BJP as andhbhakts so I thought you are referring to people who oppose BJP generally.

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hari

January 6, 2023

Madan babu no worries.

As an environmental volunteer I’m more pissed at BJP screwing up nature all across, especially in the Tehri region. The only guys who are opposing are the activists. If we have had good opposition rulers who are rooted, they would fight against this, but alas we only have the Gandhis and Kejriwals, avanunga oru mayirukkum prayojanam illa.

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vijay

January 6, 2023

What RG needs is not a blabbermouth like Kamal to counter RSS but somebody who could get the message across in much the same persuasive way as 56 inch and his cronies do..Kamal’s party has emptied out faster than it was assembled together and he is now in Udhaya-appeasement mode to get his movies released..this maybe a last desperate reachout for him to salvage something for his party(which mostly runs on twitter) come 2024..

Hari, DMK supporters (on twitter or elsewhere) have never been accused of treating anybody with respect..so they are just getting it in the same coin from TN BJP(which itself is a motley crew of small time criminals and rejects from other parties)..the loser in this fight is TN..

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KS

January 6, 2023

@Heisenberg:
Sure, Cong supporters are all PhD scholars in science, economics, history, humanity, “entire political science” (where did that come from?), and most importantly, humanity, while opponents are all uneducated mindless fools easily swayed by hate and fake news. I don’t mind humoring this delusion and condescension as long as it keeps you losing.

My point was only that the “hate” campaign, as you see it, is not a result of a politician or two going around spewing “hate, don’t love”. So it can’t be undone by your side canceling it out with a “love, don’t hate”. There are root causes and concerns, which are merely flagged and fanned by opportunists. Built on existing historical wounds (one whatsapp image of a demolished temple or a video of insult to gods can do damage that would take 100s of silly yatras to assuage). But of course, you can’t get in to all that, as that would be inconvenient, so you dismiss and scoff at the concerns and priorities of those you disagree with. Its easier to paper over everything by spouting a few vague and general cliches about unity and love.

We can argue about whether there exists hate, what its causes are, whether they are justified, how to address it; and even if we disagree on all that, it would still be a valid exchange. But thats all a different discussion, and irrelevant here, as this isn’t about a social movement with any clear goals, but just about one loser trying hard to be in the limelight with photo-ops. So again, please don’t be insulting by suggesting BJY has anything to do with unity and integrity and other lofty buzzwords.

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KS

January 6, 2023

@Madan: I agree with you that the label “anti-national” is often misused. But that tends to happen both ways, and is very open to interpretation since a country is more of an abstract idea as opposed to a specific party and govt.

Its true that the BJP exploits this ambiguity to foist that label on its critics. But on the other side too, it often seems blurred, and being anti-govt suspiciously feels like a figleaf. If India carries out an airstrike on a terror unit abroad, and you cast aspersions on the veracity of it or condemn it, are you being anti-govt or anti-national? If you cheer on as enemy nations criticize India and interfere in its internal issues on international forums, is that anti-govt or anti-national? If you encourage other countries to sanction India and sully its democratic institutions, is that anti-govt or anti-national? If our PM gets insulted abroad or if theres a threat, and you celebrate it, are you anti-govt or anti-national?

Because anti-BJP people have all been guilty of such kinds of things. Just as the BJP abuses the label anti-national, so do its opponents who would burn India to the ground as long as BJP, and all its supporters, burn down along with it.

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Heisenberg

January 6, 2023

@KS

//We can argue about whether there exists hate, what its causes are, whether they are justified, how to address it; and even if we disagree on all that, it would still be a valid exchange. But thats all a different discussion, and irrelevant here//

That is the exact discussion I am trying to have. Historic wrongs done by people long dead cant be used to exact revenge on today’s generation. (Btw I dont think the historic wrongs were just one sided, whichever side you choose to sympathize with). Attrocities had been committed throughout history based on race, religion or even within religion. Hinduism is notorious known for the treatment of its own people.

Yes those scars remain for some generations. Is BJP trying to give them a closure or sowing seeds of hate for a new generation? BJP is just being Joker from the Gotham city and madeness like gravity, all it takes is a little push.

P.S. Entire Political Science comes Modi’s degree certificate

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Heisenberg

January 6, 2023

Btw this hate spewing is only one reason to reject BJP (top for me). If one brushes this aside, theres still long list of reasons to reject them. But we just hang on with them because congress is the worst ever and wait till an unblemished mesiah drops from heaven?

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KS

January 6, 2023

@Heisenberg:
Closure is not the same as burying under the rug. We are still in the realm of consequences of injustices of the past. And they need to be addressed issue-by-issue instead of a “it happened in the past, move on”. That never happens with caste, quite justifiably. You don’t tell the Dalits that they have had their own internal injustices and squabbles as well, they’re not always innocent victims, and that with modern laws guaranteeing equality, they can’t keep harping on the past, right? Of course not, when it comes to caste, there is unequivocal vilification of the UCs of the past (and present too, #privilege and whatnot), and blanket condemnation of the whole religion. Even the RW engages with this line instead of shutting it down.

But somehow, when it comes to other religions, we must pretend everyone was equally bad, draw false equivalences between victims and aggressors by downplaying or whitewashing unilateral atrocities, and not address anything lest we piss off the other religions? Its always “oh but Hindus mistreated their own lower castes, so that cancels out the large scale massacres and atrocities committed on them by outsiders”? Maybe to you. We can own up to our faults and address them, AND also demand addressing of injustices committed on us. How and what that involves is separate, but to start with, it might help to at least acknowledge instead of trivializing and scoffing at it.

So no, you can’t just wish the acrimony away with homilies about peace and love and unity, or using condescension about scientific temper and looking to the future or whatever. Noone needs to plant any seeds or even fan any flames. They’re already there and not going anywhere, and only getting worse since the other side doesn’t even acknowledge them, leave alone address them.

Also, I keep repeating that you’re confusing matters. This is not the discussion you were trying to have. Your claim was that BJY was a step in this direction. And when called on that, you resort to hoary ideals about unity. So yet again, I have to repeat: please don’t glorify a petty PR campaign for a failed leader as being a social uprising bringing people together.

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Heisenberg

January 6, 2023

//I still dont think he has what it takes to fight BJP’s full might. But BJY is an important starting point to counter the hate machinery.//

// To make it clear, I didn’t say BJY as starting point for RG but as initiative to counter everyday hate propaganda by BJP ministers, mps, mlas.//

I don’t know how to make this clearer. This is the 3rd time I am saying, its not about RG but making a national campaign on unity and countering hate. 10 years back when IAC became a large movement, a younger me felt that was the most important issue hampering progress and I could connect with that. In today’s India this is what I look forward too.

We can agree to disagree. Good luck.

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Rocky

January 6, 2023

Rocky: I notice how you assiduously tracked down A lie uttered by Rahul Gandhi to comment on it but have never commented on the myriad lies of 56 inch.
Madan Babu , the thread was about Rahul so I was commenting on that . As for Modi jee, sure he has many flaws , his criminal inaction at the time of Farmers Protest and Shaheen Bagh comes to mind. he should have dealt with them the Kanadda dealt with the Truckers strike.
I am amused , not surprised how majority of the commentators turn a blind eye to Violence against hindus and BJP supporters in West Bengal, attack on Sadhus in Palghar , the corruption and conversion in TN , the misuse of public funds of Punjab and Delhi in Gujrat . Somehow the state governments of these states never got the flak. Infact all the liberals actually started praising Shiv Sena… go figure !!
56 inch ko toh 24 ghantey gaali padtee hain .
Anyways , this is never ending, I am out .

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kaizokukeshav

January 7, 2023

@Madan: ‘And by the way, it’s not enough if you say YOU never called critics anti national….’ no, that’s wrong.

The point is – it’s not good enough to call them pro-National. So the silent supporters aka WE just don’t call anything.

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Aman Basha

January 7, 2023

Oh boy, BR just wanted to cause a stir with this video. I’ve been holding back because I feel like writing ten different Reader’s Write Ins over all that has been said here, but those ten will get another ten counter articles and we’ll be stuck in that instead of discussing important matters like Thunivu and Varisu, this is a film blog, after all 🙂

But for people who think all is hunky dory with India, I hope you saw what happened in Supreme Leader’s Gujarat where law and order is so weak that some Bajrangi Dal goons can barge into a mall and create a ruckus because there are posters of Pathaan.

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gnanaozhi

January 16, 2023

@heisenberg, you claim that this Yatra is all about peace and unity, about countering “BJP hate”

The first religious person Pappu met was George C Ponniah, a sample of his love filled, unity inducing words

Votes for the DMK and Inc are alms thrown to them by Muslims and Christians
He (addressing a BJP candidate) out of respect for Bhumadevi doesn’t wear shoes but Bhumadevi is dirty, and contact with her will give you diseases,itching
Modi and Amit Shah will be eaten by dogs and worms
We are now (Xtians) at 60% of the pop, and we issue a warning to Hindus
He called the govt banning prayers (this was during covid) a Hindu conspiracy and demanded during peak covid for all churches to be thrown open.
In the very meeting with Pappu he said that Hindu gods aren’t god’s and only Jesus is.

The problem is, you lot are blind to hate speech like this, you are blind to the hate speech spewed by a dozen mullahs and Padres and opposition politicians every day. That’s why you all are a joke.

Keep whining “muh hate” as a large section of the electorate simply votes Modi and then #peekachuface come election result day.

Please explain logically and without the use of polemics, how is Pappu meeting this ultra bigoted pastor “love and unity”? Did you even call out this hate monger to begin with? Or is the party line alloted to you only “muh bjp hate,India land of milk and honey before 2014?”

And @madan, the old Gandhi kadahi really is past the sell by date. Dude also wanted Jews to surrender peacefully to the Nazis! And Nehru? He oversaw some of the worst post 47 riots and butchery, but he simply buried whatever enquiry commission he set up just so someone can 75 years after the fact go, Negruji bestu.

And someone was talking about how Pappu can’t win the “cow belt” vote, the BJP has swept West India AND north East India + Karnataka.

The Inc can’t even win a few seats in AP / Telengana now, a place where it was dominant just 10 years ago. In a LS election Pappu can’t even hold onto his pocket borough of Amethi (and go look up the developmental stats for that constituency under Rajiv, Sonia and Pappu Raj, appaling).

The reality is, pappu is a lazy slacker, in all the times he and his mom were the defacto powers behind 7 RCR, he refused to accept a single role with any element of accountability. Like his mom, he loves roles with all the responsibility but no accountability.
This conversation was hilarious to watch though, 2 vacuous morons saying vacuous garbage to each other. Kamal is arguably in the top 5 actors across India + Hollywood today but Cho nailed it when he said “Kamal is an actor amongst intellectuals and an intellectual amongst actors”. He is just praying he gets an Mp seat via the Cong through all this genuflecting. That’s pretty much it and pappu will speak to anyone his handlers tell him to. Gotta give it to these two gents though, I watched the whole thing and it was pretty hilarious.

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Raghu Narayanan

January 16, 2023

Kamal’s body language in this video is interesting. Generally, folding your hands across your chest is deemed to symbolise that the person is getting defensive. Here tho, Kamal goes on a tight self-hug almost like trying to save himself from something or someone. If we recall the Arnab Goswami anchored chat he had with Smriti Irani in 2019, he had a similar self-hug posture. He is clearly uncomfortable through the conversation. It makes me think that maybe Kamal himself realizes he is seriously out of depth when it comes to national level political discussions held on national media. The discussions per se also provide ample evidences as well.

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